Update : Following our
request, Cinema On Web has removed the download from their web site. We
would like to thank them for their quick response.

The VideoLAN project investigates possible violation
of their intellectual property

VLC media player (VLC) is an open-source cross-platform media player and
streaming solution.

Following announcement by Cinema On the Web (COW) and DivXNetworks
of the new COW video on demand service, the VideoLAN project team
members were informed of a possible violation of VLC media
player's license. The VideoLAN project, which owns copyrights to VLC,
distributes VLC as free software exclusively under the terms of the
GNU General Public License (GNU GPL).

The Microsoft installer (MSI) file which can be downloaded off the
http://www.cinemaonweb.com/ww1/index.php?ab=cow-sw web page appears
to contain several binary VLC and Xvid files covered by the GNU GPL. The
End-User License Agreement (EULA), which the user accepts when installing,
states that:

« [...] Cinema on Web. (the "Licensor") grants to you this personal,
limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-assignable license solely
to use in a single copy of the Licensed Works on a single computer for
use by a single concurrent user only, and solely provided that you
adhere to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. [...] »

The VideoLAN project is a strong supporter of open source and free
software. It is our belief that the licensing terms above are
incompatible with several provisions of the GNU GPL. If that is the case, we
are afraid COW might be infringing our protected intellectual property
and denying our users' rights.

The VideoLAN project will do everything it can to ensure that its
rights and our users' rights are not denied.

Xvid.org has been notified of a possible violation of their own Xvid
software's GNU GPL license.